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Ragtime

"There were white gazebos, and there were no Negroes." One of those musical adaptations that simply shouldn't work, this stage version of E.L. Doctorow's epic about early-1900s America somehow manages to capture the scope, laughs and poignancy of the book—no mean feat given that it combines the elaborate story of a family's encounters with racism and anarchy with such real-world figures as Harry Houdini, Emma Goldman and Evelyn Nesbit. This production by The Justice Theatre Project will be a more stripped-down take on the hugely expensive ($11 million) Broadway version, which notoriously lost money despite excellent reviews and sales. Friday's opening show features a reception with the cast in the lobby afterward; Saturday's performance includes a 6:30p.m. pre-show discussion with Duke University's Jules Odendahl-James. —Zack Smith